


Jake English and the Pirate's Riches (ft. One Scheming Ally)

by orphaner_dualscar



Category: Homestuck
Genre: All ships besides DirkJake are going to be minor, Bisexual Jake English, Dirk and Dave are half-brothers on their dad's side, Dirk and Vriska are both treasure hunters, Dirk is tall and awkward, Eridan is a wealthy treasure collector, Humanstuck, I just figured I'd add in exactly who every character that shows up is going to be paired with, Indiana Jones AU, Indiana Jones References, Inspired by Indiana Jones, Jake and Dave and Aradia and Tavros are all archaeologists, Jake is small but mighty, M/M, Rose Lalonde and Dave Strider are Twins, Roxy is their half-sister on their mom's side, Roxy may or may not show up, Will add tags as characters show up, Will also update warnings as needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-08 12:46:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14105685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphaner_dualscar/pseuds/orphaner_dualscar
Summary: Jake English is a professor of archaeology, someone highly respected in his field. His thirst for discovery extends far past his workplace, into his personal life as a hobbyist treasure hunter. Growing up on stories of the high seas from his beloved grandmother, he has been in pursuit of Blackbeard's treasure for years, the mystery taking up nearly all of his personal time. So when a colleague of his says he has a contact that might be able to help, who is Jake to say no?





	1. In the Pursuit of Treasure

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: I am so not used to writing fan fiction and I don't even role play canon characters, so I apologize in advance if this isn't super in character. If you have any advice, PLEASE give it to me. I love this idea and want to improve on what I have in any way I can.

”How much longer can we expect to have you for?”

Almost immediately, the soft, lilting voice of his colleague brought Jake out of whatever hazy dreamland that had been clouding his head. Growing bored with the weeks of stagnant digging that seemed to be on the agenda for him in the summer months, he had planned a trip in order to continue the search for the prize that had captivated his mind since he was a mere child, listening to the endless stories his grandma seemed to know about great adventurers on the high seas. Still, he needed to stop getting so caught up in the fantasy; he still needed to make the preparations for his trip.

Silently, his mind snapped back to the question at hand, shifting his position at his desk so that he was more able to focus on the petite redhead in front of him. He had tried his best not to visibly jump but, well, he hated to admit it but he tended to be easily startled.

“Cripes, Aradia. Way to sneak up on me.” Though he started off with some volume, his tone soon shifted into something more closely resembling an inside voice. “If you and Dave can handle the burial site yourselves, I’d be ready to leave in a moment’s notice, quite frankly.”

Looking down into his own lap, he fiddled with the belt loops on his khaki shorts. He could feel it, he was so close to unlocking another part of the mystery, something that may leave him with yet another challenge to face. Truth be told, it was quite nerve-wracking for the bespectacled archaeologist. After a moment, he jumped once again, internally kicking himself for managing to get lost in his anticipation again in such a short amount of time. After all, there would be plenty of time to daydream on the plane.

Aradia smiled gently at Jake’s slight jump, her dark eyes closing for a moment in reaction before she laid a soft, brown hand on his shoulder. This, once again, caused Jake to jump slightly, despite frequently being on the receiving end of his colleague’s friendly, familiar gestures.

“Blackbeard’s treasure is what you’ve been looking for, isn’t it?” she asked after a moment. “Goodness, I almost wish I could come with you, but that would mean missing out on studying that gorgeous display of funeral rites we have out in the dig site. Are you sure you don’t want any help, another brain to pick?”

“No, no. That’s fine, Aradia.” As if it was a reflex, Jake stood up and brought his hands out in front of his chest, as if gesturing for his fellow archaeologist to halt. “That’s quite alright. Really, you should be concentrating on the find! I’ve read your work on funeral rites and, I must say, that last one blew my socks right off.” He cleared his throat. “Really, though, I quite appreciate it. But it’s always been my challenge.”

She smiled sweetly at his compliments, taking a gentle step back from him when he stood up and moving to draw her long, dark red hair into a thick ponytail behind her. “That means quite a lot coming from you, English. After all, how many priceless artifacts have you managed to track down over the years? You’re our regular resident Indiana Jones.”

At that comparison, Jake felt himself swell with an obscene pride that he often tried to keep down while out in the field. After all, he had indulged in enough cinema to know that overconfidence was often the downfall. No, he had to remain humble and respectful. It’s what Indy would do.

Jake was opening his mouth to speak again when the office door swung open and a tall, gangly young man in a carefully-maintained pair of aviator sunglasses strolled through the door.

While Jake considered himself to be of competent intellect with a knack for solving puzzles, Dave Strider was certainly an enigma that eluded him entirely. He was young, fresh out of the master’s program in archeology, and how green he was to the field showed in every aspect. Despite the sweltering heat of the Mojave Desert, the pale blond dressed in tight black jeans and baseball shirts, looking very much like an undergraduate student DJing for the first time on the campus radio station. And, despite his attempts at maintaining something of an aura of impenetrable ‘cool,’ the young man was startlingly expressive. From the clear inflections in his voice to the ever-shifting nature of his expression, it was hard not to get a read on him. And from the way the corners of his mouth were turned upward ever-so-slightly and the slight bounce in his step, he was excited about something.

“Yo, Jake, Aradia. You won’t believe what Tavros just said. He’s talking about that crazy treasure hunter he’s in contact with, and god she’s…” Dave let out a snort. “Well, you’d have to hear it from him. Dude’s got a way with words that fuckin’ rivals that weird juggalo he used to bring around, the one who had a full out conversation with a human skull that one time.”

Despite not knowing when to stop talking and a seeming inability to get to the point, Jake had to admit that it wasn’t quite possible not to like Dave. He was quite possibly the least malicious person Jake had ever had the pleasure to meet, and as such he was quite the pleasant presence.  
Once Dave seemed to be done talking, Jake flashed a friendly smile his way and gave a little chuckle. “I’ll just have to ask Tav about it before I leave then, won’t I? His tales regarding that woman never cease to amaze me. What’s her name again…?”

“Vriska Serket?” chimed in Aradia, her voice carefully maintained if a little more neutral than it had been. “We did our bachelor’s degrees at the same school.” She doesn’t seem keen on elaborating any further.

Sensing the slight tension in the room, Dave immediately cleared his throat. “So Jake, dude, you said you’re going somewhere? Is it a vacation, different dig? Are you going to Egypt, South America? Don’t leave me hanging here, bro. I wanna know all about it.” Wow, he really had no idea how to keep it short and sweet.

Jake is caught a little off guard by the sudden prompting, though he concluded it made sense considering the tension brought into the room by Aradia at the mention of Vriska. Slowly, he cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose before beginning to speak. He thought about dimming the lights for dramatic effect, but decided against it. “Little is known about Blackbeard’s early life, aside from his English origins and theories that he was a sailor during Queen Anne’s War. His fame began when he captured a French ship, rechristening it the Queen Anne’s Revenge and fastening numerous guns to the vessel and stealing away into the high seas to strike fear into the hearts of those he robbed. He was quite the fellow, dominating with the sheer force of his fearsome reputation and appearance.” He cleared his throat. “His forces were put to battle in North Carolina in November of 1718, the battle ending with the man’s head mounted on Lieutenant Robert Maynard’s ship. Despite his defeat, and the man was forty at most at the time of his death, he’s rumored to have treasure hidden somewhere. There’s clues to follow, but three hundred years later it’s yet to be found. I intend to be the one to find the blasted site. I’ve wanted to since my grandma told me the stories.”

Jake let out a long exhale, letting his lids slip over his bright green eyes and leaning his face into his hand. He had a flare for the dramatic; that much he knew. But the retelling of that tale just had him desiring more and more to get out to North Carolina.

He studied the faces of both Dave and Aradia, the former looming over him with his pale brows picked up so far they were visible over his sunglasses and the latter offering a sweet smile. Next to Aradia, who wasn’t quite five feet tall, Jake could generally forget the insecurity surrounding his height. But then there was Dave, who he had to tilt his chin upward slightly to meet eyes with.

Jake was shaken out of his thought bubble by a small laugh from the lanky blond, to which he immediately directed his attention. Quietly, Jake sighed. “It’s quite silly, isn’t it? It’s a fool’s adventure, I know. But I’d rather you not make fun. It’s rather important to me.”

Dave’s eyebrows shot up once again. “Dude, no. It’s cool. Cool as hell, actually. And I might actually know someone who could help you with it. The guy’s experienced, has pulled a ton of jobs like this before. Hell, you’ve probably heard of him.”

“Really?” Jake was a bit surprised. After all, Dave had never had much good to say about Tavros’ interactions with Vriska. Jake thought he didn’t like treasure hunters. Still, he figured he may as well press on; he was admittedly curious. “Who is this mysterious fellow, and how do you know him?”

Dave took a moment to lean against the wall that was adjacent to him, shifting to idly fiddle with one of the sleeves of his baseball shirt. “I’d rather not get into the how. Shit’s kind of a long story, you know? But I’ve known the guy for a long time, and he’s the most solid dude you could ask for. Equipment, information, he’s got the secret insight. I don’t even know how he does it and I know him. But like I don’t know if you’ve heard of the treasure hunter Timaeus?”

It was Jake’s turn for his dark, bushy eyebrows to almost shoot entirely off his face as they rose to disappear into his thick, coarse hair. He hadn’t just heard that name before. He kept up with news and, if he remembered correctly… “The one who tracked down what’s believed to be the Welsh king Llwelyn’s lost coronet? You know, the coronet whose existence was dubious at best?”

“Haha, yeah.” Dave once again gave a smile. “Dude’s kind of an asshole but let me tell you, if there’s a job to get done and you need a hand, he can do it. Hell, one time-” He stopped himself at that point, clearing his throat. “Anyway, dude, I can put you into contact if you want to talk to him and see if he can help. He’ll ask for a percentage, but that’s just standard business practice, you know.” He paused again. “Man, I’m starting to sound like him and everything.”

Jake knitted his brows together in slight confusion, the two almost coming together to form a single, unified line across the base of his smooth, brown forehead. Dave not only knew a famously mysterious treasure hunter- while everyone knew the man’s alias, there had never been a journalist there to catch hide nor hair of him in pictures and nobody knew anything about him- but was implying a degree of familiarity. Still, he didn’t want to elaborate and Jake would concede to respect that. “Ah, sure.”

Aradia was still there, but she had faded artfully into the background. It was like a talent of hers. And Jake felt bad about denying her help and taking the opportunity to work with someone else within minutes, but he couldn’t pass something like this up in good faith. After all, he had been in casual pursuit of that coronet as well.

Dave gave a firm nod. “Cool. I’ll recommend you to him, give him your chumhandle. If he’s interested in working with you, he’ll contact you later. You might want to stay up awhile though; guy’s a hella night owl. And I’m talking once upon a time when we were kids he went nocturnal for like a whole month. It was fucked up.”

Jake raised an eyebrow at his colleague’s slip of the tongue, but after a moment chose not to comment on it. Instead, he offered a grateful smile to the taller man. “Thank you, Dave. Tell your contact I’ll be anxiously awaiting hearing from him. Not often you get to talk one puzzle master to another, you know.”

It was Aradia’s turn to give a laugh.

\-----

Hours after his conversation with Dave and Aradia, Jake English found himself alone on his couch, a platter of General Tso’s chicken sitting on his coffee table in front of him- which his favorite Chinese restaurant blessedly did not make with peanut oil, thank goodness- and the dull glow of the Netflix home page in front of him on the wall-mounted television. The TV screen illuminated the otherwise darkened room, bathing Jake’s shelf full of bone specimen in an eerie blue light as he scrolled through various titles, trying to make a decision.on what to watch next. It was nearing midnight and he had yet to be contacted, and to say that he wasn’t a night owl himself was a serious understatement. Normally, he’d be in bed by 10:30 at the latest, provided he was up to date on paperwork.

Aside from the waiting having a significant effect on his sleep, it also made him nervous. Was this some bizarre test put forth by his potential ally, to test his mettle somehow? More likely, what if he wasn’t keen on working together? After all, Timaeus was mysterious by nature. It’s very likely that he’d rather work alone, rather pursue the treasure for himself than work with someone like Jake and only get a simple cut for his services. Oh, how he had wished that Dave had simply given Jake the other’s chumhandle instead.

He quelled his worries by finally choosing something from his Netflix recommended, settling on a run-of-the-mill slasher film. Some might be too embarrassed to admit that they enjoyed such films, but Jake had absolutely no shame. He had a deep appreciation of cinema of all kinds, the ability to weave a story out of the myriad of camera angles, soundtrack selections, and stuck up actors being something that absolutely fascinated him, as someone who’s never laid hands on anything resembling film production in his life. All those jobs were things that he likely couldn’t perform if he tried, which made being impressed with those who did successfully make movies all the more easier, even if not every movie was as good as Get Out. After all, thinking that some movies were better than others didn’t stop him from appreciating cinema as a whole.

Next thing Jake knew, it was past one in the morning. The main character in the movie had just found her dying boyfriend on a meat hook in the freezer. He quickly realized that he had no idea how they had gotten there. He had fallen asleep.

Panicking slightly, he immediately went to check his phone for messages. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that his Pesterchum notifications going off was likely exactly what had woken him up.

timaeusTestified [TT] began pestering golgathasTerror [GT] at 1:19

TT: This is one Jake English on a perilous quest to uncover some mad pirate treasure, I assume?  
TT: If you’re not looking for pirate treasure and Dave is just trying to set me up again, I swear.  
GT: No no! Youd be right.  
GT: Ive been on quite the mission looking for the treasure that frequently graced the tales of my childhood bedtime stories and i was told you may assist for a price.  
TT: Dave told you that, didn’t he?  
TT: Well, you can consider yourself lucky. I’ve recently found myself down an associate and without a current objective mission. I suppose I could spare some time to help you out.  
TT: I assume you’re headed to North Carolina soon?  


Jake inhaled sharply as he communicated with the orange text, his mouth pressing into a thin line as he tried to shake off the jitters that were plaguing him. He was so serious and businesslike, not at all like he imagined such a famed treasure hunter to be. He knew that there was still time for a face-to-face impression- assuming that’s what this man had in mind- but he didn’t at all seem like the type to relish the adventure like Jake did. No, there was something calculating and… almost cold about the way he communicated.

GT: Yes. I plan on flying out the day after tomorrow. Are you planning on coming with?  
TT: I’ll book us a hotel in Greenville. You think you can get out there?

Jake felt himself inhale again. Just how close to the bottom of this mystery was he?

GT: Sounds good. Im flying into raleigh but i can get there in under two hours after i land.  
TT: Message me when you land and I’ll tell you where to meet me. After that, we can go back to the hotel together and get cracking. You dig?  
GT: Not that im not anxiously awaiting meeting you, but how will i know who to look for? And more importantly, how will you know who to look for?  
TT: I had a look at your Wikipedia page, brotein. Nice shorts, by the way.  
Jake couldn’t help but blush slightly, biting down on his lower lip and making a mental note to ask Aradia to put a different picture up on there for him.  
TT: As for me, just look for the dude with the coolest shades in the room.  
GT: No other context?  
TT: Nah. You should go to bed though. You’ve got to be awake enough to get ready tomorrow.

timaeusTestified [TT] ceased pestering golgathasTerror [GT]

Jake English took in a deep, cleansing breath. Somehow, now he was even more nervous.


	2. Of Old and New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake meets some friends, old and new, at the start of a grand adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm sorry if characterization is off. I'm not used to writing canon characters and characterization is a work in progress. Also, incoming chapter is a little pesterlog-heavy!

golgathasTerror [GT] began pestering timaeusTestified [TT] at 4:37

GT: Status report: currently at the san bernardino international airport. Due to board within ten minutes. Should touch down in raleigh by four in the afternoon eastern time.  
TT: You know that you don’t need to constantly update me, right? Just let me know when you’re in transit to Greenville from Raleigh and we should be good.  
GT: Blast youre no fun.  
GT: So when do i get a real name to call you? Seems a bit excessive to be referencing plato every time i wish to address you.  
TT: Just call me Dirk if it bothers you so much. It’ll attract less attention too. Anyway, shouldn’t you be boarding about now?  
GT: I suppose youre right.  


golgathasTerror [GT] ceased pestering timaeusTestified [TT]

Though Jake had been a nervous flyer in the past, his comfort with performing the task had gone up significantly with the amount he was tasked with flying. He still couldn’t quite sleep on the flying, airtight death traps for the life of him, but he’d deal with that when he touched down in North Carolina.

Stepping onto the plane and locating his window seat in coach, he immediately settled in to get himself comfortable, retrieving his laptop from his carry on before stuffing the bag under his seat and immediately contacting a stewardess to inquire about on-flight wi-fi. He was in for a long, boring flight- even taking into account the stop in Dallas- and he may as well make himself comfortable with his favorite movie. He had never known someone not to make fun of him for his thorough enjoyment of the movie _Avatar_ , but Jake frankly didn’t care.

Movies aside, his pesterchum app loading up once he was connected to the wireless internet immediately reminded him of something.

golgathasTerror [GT] began pestering timaeusTestified [TT] at 5:01

GT: Wait. How are you up?  
GT: I swear you kept me up practically until i had to take off for the airport!  
GT: Did you not sleep either?  
TT: It seems you’ve invested in the on-board wi-fi, then?  
TT: Relax, I’ve gotten plenty of sleep.  
TT: I didn’t even talk to you last night.  
GT: … then who was that?  
TT: Fuck.  
TT: I’ll explain later. I’ve got time to kill before check in starts so I’m going to take off.  
GT: Now wait just a damn minute sir.  


timaeusTestified [TT] has ceased pestering golgathasTerror [GT]

\-----

While he was in the air, it seemed like forever. However, once Jake landed, it felt like he had done so all too soon. He inhaled deeply as he stood poised on the curb outside the airport in Raleigh, the afternoon sun high in the sky and the humidity damn near choking him as he glanced around for the uber driver that he had contacted in order to make it to his meeting place. Tim… Dirk could wait until Jake was safe and cool in a car before getting a check in, he was sure.

Suffering in the humidity that he hadn’t been used to since growing up on a tropical island until he was in high school, Jake couldn’t help but thank every deity he could think to name when the modest white Subaru rolled up, popping the trunk and rolling down the passenger side window.

“There a motherfucker named Jake English here?” asked a somewhat deep voice from inside the vehicle. Immediately, Jake’s eyebrows disappeared under the thick hair hanging over his forehead as he recognized the voice and therefore confirmed his suspicions.

“Gamzee, my good fellow!” He bent down to peek inside the vehicle, giving a welcoming smile to the man he hadn’t seen in quite some time. “I didn’t know you left California!”

“Yeah, bro. When shit didn’t work out with Tavros it got fuckin’ awkward, you know. But my brother Kurloz was a bro and let me fly out here to hang with him.” He gave something of an unsteady thumbs up. Truth be told, Gamzee’s tendency to walk around in public with his face painted up like a clown somewhat unsettled Jake, but he figured that he was nice enough and relatively harmless.

“Well we’ve missed you at the digs. You always did liven things up.” He gave a wide grin before walking to the back to put his bags in the trunk. He was quick to return back to the passenger door once his things were secured, entering the vehicle and buckling his seatbelt quickly. “So, how’ve things been?”

Jake was in fact paying attention; he had an astounding talent for being able to read and listen at the same time. However, he had an obligation he needed to fill.

golgathasTerror [GT] began pestering timaeusTestified [TT] at 15:28

GT: Touched down in raleigh. Uber driver is obtained. Onward to greenville!  
TT: Was I supposed to imagine a battle horn being blown at the end of that statement?  
GT: Goodness youre really no fun!  
GT: Whatll it get for you to kid around with me hm?  
GT: Hm DIRK?  
GT: Say is that really your name?  
TT: Were you drinking on the plane, English?  
GT: You cant prove anything.

Jake looked shamefully down at his feet as his hands closed around his phone. He had, in fact, been drinking on the plane.

TT: I knew it.  
TT: Anyway, I’m all checked in at the hotel. Meet me on the west side of the pond, in the park. I’ll be sitting on a bench, wearing an orange baseball cap and the coolest shades that have ever graced your prescription-assisted vision.  
TT: We understand each other?  
GT: Aye aye.   
TT: Cool.  
GT: I suppose ill be seeing you in a little over an hour and a half then!  
TT: Until then, English.

timaeusTestified [TT] ceased pestering golgathasTerror [GT]

When the chat window closed on his phone, Jake couldn’t help but gulp nervously. Truth be told, he had been nervous even before Dirk had agreed to speak to him, but the moment of truth was almost upon him. Despite his achievements, he couldn’t help but worry. After all, in this line of work he was little more than a hobbyist. He had contacted an actual professional for help, one that may have managed to find an artifact whose existence was debated and dubious at best, and he was going to meet him lakeside, smelling of champagne and orange juice with the vaguest idea on where he could find instructions for the next step. He had felt confident earlier that week, but he was no longer all that sure that he was prepared for what was ahead of him on this adventure. Truth be told, it was intimidating.

“You alright there, J-bro?”

The hoarse, somewhat nasally voice of Gamzee roused Jake from the confines of his own mind, the shorter man blinking a few times before letting his gaze wander over to his driver.

“Oh, yes.” Jake gave a sharp nod, immediately regretting it when he felt a pang in his head. “Yes, Gamzee. Thank you. What were you saying?”

Gamzee’s fingers relaxed on the steering wheel as he carefully made a right turn, letting his left hand slide along the wheel as he righted the device with his right hand. Despite his general oddity, he wasn’t a bad driver. “Yeah, anyway man. It was real hard, just bein’ Tav-bro’s roommate after bein’ with him like that. I couldn’t do that, but he wasn’t gonna trust a motherfucker who almost got him thrown off the lease cause I forgot to hide my weed. He’s still my bro, but can’t blame a motherfucker.”

“Quite a shame,” Jake commented, his mind beginning to wander again. He wished he could pay more attention, but his nerves were killing him. “Are you doing any better now?”

Gamzee was eager to nod. “Two weeks fucking sober, bro.” Stopping at a red light, he held up one hand and made a peace sign- presumably to signify the number two.

Jake couldn’t help but flash a smile. “Why, congratulations!” He wasn’t one to butt into the business of others, but he had known from Tavros that Gamzee had a particular problem with not only marijuana usage but also some more dangerous hallucinogens, and hearing that he was clean was reassuring.

As Gamzee began to talk about something to do with his experience with sobriety, Jake felt his phone once again buzz in his hand. He feared that he would once again be met with the intimidating orange text, but was instead confronted by a familiar and comforting red.

apocalypseArisen [AA] began pestering golgathasTerror [GT] at 15:43

AA: did y0u land safely  
AA: jake i h0pe you didnt f0rget t0 let me kn0w y0u t0uched d0wn safely  
GT: Im fine aradia don’t worry!  
GT: Im in my uber now. On the way to the meeting place.  
GT: Aradia you wont believe it though! Gamzee is my uber driver.  
GT: Weve been catching up. Thats probably why I havent thought to contact you.  
AA: 0h  
AA: tell him i said hell0  
GT: He says hello back!  
AA: y0ure meeting in public right  
AA: n0t g0ing al0ne in s0me h0tel r00m with s0me stranger right away  
GT: Yes mother.  
GT: Really Aradia! Im a blasted grown man. I promise you i wont get into any dangerous shenanigans with rugged criminals.  
AA: what an 0dd way t0 put things jake  
GT: Really aradia! Ill be fine i promise!  
AA: 0kay if y0ure sure  
AA: we just w0uldnt want y0u g0ne  
AA: y0ure a valuable member 0f 0ur team  
GT: Well im sure glad for the care aradia. Its quite appreciated!  
AA: 0f c0urse  
AA: even s0llux w0uld miss y0u  
GT: Do tell your boyfriend i said hello by the way!  
AA: will d0 when i get h0me  
GT: Anyway gamzee is talking my ear off. Loquacious fellow he is! Ill check in with you again once im in my hotel!  
AA: it was nice talking t0 y0u jake  
GT: You as well aradia! Have a wonderful day!  
AA: y0u t00  


apocalypseArisen [AA] has ceased pestering golgathasTerror [GT]

\-----

Roughly an hour and a half later, Jake could feel the muscles in his back physically tense as Gamzee’s subaru cruised through the city, his phone hooked up to the dashboard spitting out directions for the park as he kept his eyes peeled on the road. Jake’s focus had been rather lax the entire ride over but as he was pulled forcefully back to full consciousness by the proximity of his meeting, he was beginning to really see the effects that sobriety was having on Gamzee. The man that was once loose and constantly zoning out was focused as he kept his eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, tongue stuck out in concentration as he navigated the streets- he had asked Jake to not talk as much once he had driven into the city- and his grip firm. He still seemed to be the same lax and lovable fellow for the most part, but there was a new intensity to him that frankly surprised Jake. It was like the substance use was suppressing all of his ambition and determination and it was just coming out now.

It took less than ten minutes of driving in the city and a few quick google searches from Jake for Gamzee to find his way to the lake that Dirk had mentioned, the ability for Jake to see the lake from his passenger side window causing him great relief. He had been incredibly afraid that he was doomed to be lost in the park with his luggage, ripe for being jumped, but he was relieved to see that all he needed to do was walk a ways and round a corner to arrive on the west side. Then, with luck, he’d be meeting the gentleman in the orange baseball cap and the ‘coolest shades that have ever graced his prescription-assisted vision’ and would be on his way.

“Here the fuck we are, J-bro!” Gamzee declared as he carefully took a parking spot. Jake almost reprimanded him for taking one of the handicap parking spots, but thought better of it; after all, he’d ideally be out of there in less than five minutes. Still, he figured it’d be nice to have some sort of backup plan.

“Say, Gamzee. Can I get your phone number and chumhandle?” Jake asked after unbuckling his seatbelt, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “And do you mind staying in town for say, an hour or so? I’ve never actually met the person I’m having a meeting with and I’d like the assurance of a friendly face nearby.”

Gamzee’s face, previously screwed up in concentration gave a lopsided smile at the request as he opened up a hand as if to ask for Jake’s phone. “Sure, J-bro. I’m always here to help out a motherfucker.”

Jake heaved a sigh of relief as his gaudily painted up Uber driver punched his information into a contact and handed the phone back. “Thank you very much. I’ll let you know when I’m sure things are alright. Thank you again for making the drive here a pleasant one!”

Jake really was grateful for Gamzee’s presence, he thought as he opened the other man’s door and exited his car with one fluid movement. He was not only easy to talk to, but he wasn’t a particularly imposing presence. In fact, for an extrovert, he was quite low energy. Still, he didn’t think he would ever solve the mystery of how such a tall, lanky man was able to fold up enough to drive a compact car like the subaru that he had arrived in. He had more important matters to attend to anyway.

\-----

As he walked through the park, Jake was quite taken by the scenery around him. It was mid-afternoon in the middle of summer so, of course, one saw the occasional parent running about with their child, often accompanied by a dog, frisbee, or both. However, what captivated Jake was the greenery, the towering trees and the lively green grass, so alive compared to out west. He loved the sight of it all, and how alive everything was. He lazily took a few pictures before carefully turning the corner and tucking his phone in his pocket, keeping his eyes peeled for the figure described to him earlier that day.

Jake was surprised at how quickly he was able to find the man that matched Dirk’s description, but considering how out of place he looked in the peaceful scenery he should have been surprised that he didn’t spot the man in under a minute of walking around and surveying. He had been given so little to work off, but who he was looking for was immediately apparent and, from the looks of him, Jake felt his breath catch in his throat and he almost went to pull out his phone and call Gamzee, asking for a ride back to Raleigh and a place to stay for the night. But no, he was determined to press on.

The man was tall, not quite as tall as the long, stringy Gamzee but close, and somewhat wiry but with a startlingly solid-looking frame and a tension in his shoulders that looked in danger of snapping at any moment. His arms hung at his sides, hands balled up in the pockets of khaki cargo shorts and broad shoulders slouched ever so slightly. His pallor was clear as day as well, even with the slight tan that showed with every peek of skin from under his black tank top contrasting the slightly darker tone that was already visible to the public. The muscles rippled under the skin of his long arms, bulging outward slightly whenever his hands would roll back up into fists inside his pockets and his legs tensed as his booted feet sunk slightly into the bank of the calm, expansive lake. Silently, Jake wondered how this clear mass of nerves and tension could exist in such a peaceful place.

He had been able to see the distinct orange hat the entire time, but Jake wasn’t absolutely sure that this was his man until he turned around to survey the people behind him and he caught sight of those distinctive, triangular sunglasses jutting out from under the bill of the hat like another spike in his styled light blond hair. His features- his nose, his face, everything- seemed to be just as sharp and angular as his hair, with the added distinction of a five o’clock shadow beginning on the man’s chin. Jake figured that they were probably around the same age as one another, but he couldn’t be sure.

Realizing he had likely been caught sight of, Jake began his trek over to the blond man, walking with a confident step despite his own nerves. After all, if appearances were anything to go by, this man was at least equally tense over meeting him. This brought him some comfort, though not necessarily a lot. He put on a warm and welcoming smile, despite the fact that he was not to be the one hosting this endeavor.

Jake felt the eyes of a few strangers on him as he approached the blond man, but he pushed on, sitting his things on the nearby bench and almost immediately turning to face the other once he was relieved of his luggage. Being closer to the man, he noticed several things, the most prevalent being that the man was nearly a head and neck taller than him and that his pale skin was absolutely covered in freckles.

“If those are the ‘coolest shades to ever grace my prescription-assisted vision,’ I really should get out more,” Jake quipped, not quite able to meet the other’s eye. “I suppose that’d be why we’re meeting, no? Two gentlemen out for a good spot of adventure and all.”

“I suppose so, English.” His voice was a bit deeper than expected, something warm, smooth, and carefully neutral. He held out a large hand, his mouth drawn into a line as he waited. After a moment, Jake finally grasped it and shook. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve got to say, your name carries a lot of stories.”

Jake gave a nervous chuckle. “Good ones, I hope.”

He gave a curt nod, letting go of the handshake and letting his hand slip back into his pocket. “Very.” Though the words were positive, his expression still maintained the same level of frustratingly unreadable. Jake tilted his chin upward in slight frustration as the other spoke. “We can go back to our hotel, drop off your things, and then go out and talk over coffee. Sound fair?”

Jake returned the other’s coldness with a smile and a polite nod, the slight smile that appeared on the other’s lips suddenly striking a chord of familiarity with him. He looked like someone; Jake just wasn’t sure who. “Sounds dandy.”

“Excellent.”

**Author's Note:**

> Significant things to note about this universe:  
> 1.) Aradia is an archaeologist whose specialty is thanatology.  
> 2.) Dave is pretty much really awesome and got into archaeology via the dead things he collected as a kid (and still collects).  
> 3.) I don’t know how significant a role, if any, the other Strilondes will play but there will be at least mentions of some really juicy family drama.  
> 4.) Jake is a pretty big deal in his field and so is Aradia in hers, but Dave is still very green.  
> 5.) Jake treasure hunts for fun and it often has nothing to do with his work in archaeology. He just liked the adventure factor.  
> 6.) This actually won’t have a lot to do with Indiana Jones, aside from the fact that Indiana Jones inspired me to write it.  
> 7.) Mind that these characters are in their late twenties/early thirties (I haven’t nailed down an age yet), so they won’t act exactly like in the comic. Not to mention the fact that a lot of them were raised at least somewhat differently. I’ll get into that some later though.  
> 8.) I don’t really have an update schedule but I’ll try to update monthly at a minimum.


End file.
